Asthma is considered to be a medical condition that is very serious and may cause limitations on how you live and appreciate life. Medication and coping strategies can help you manage your asthma symptoms effectively. This article lists several such strategies.
You should not smoke or be anywhere near smoke if you suffer from asthma. You must abstain from using any tobacco products. Also, when job hunting, you need to take into consideration whether or not you will be exposed to anything detrimental to your condition while on the job.
If you are an asthma patient, do not expose yourself to vapors, fumes and cigarette smoke. This does mean avoiding all tobacco products as well as being mindful of sources of employment, with special attention to factories that might provide exposure to smoke and vapors.
Do you know which type of asthma you suffer from? When you know in-depth information about your asthma, you can figure out how to fight against it. One example of this is exercise-induced asthma. This type of asthmatic will need to carry his inhaler with him when he goes for a run. Treating asthma is less difficult if you and your physician are aware of the triggers that bring on an attack.
Never smoke around a child with asthma, or you could kill them! There’s a long list of environmental asthma triggers, and secondhand smoke is at the top of it. If your child is in an area where people are smoking, remove him quickly to avoid an asthma attack.
Never use a fan in a dirty, dust-filled room. Otherwise, the dust will fly into the air and could give you an attack. If you wish to have a breeze, open a window instead of running a fan.
It is imperative that you do your best to avoid cleaning chemicals if you are asthmatic. Cleaning products may contain chemicals which can trigger an asthmatic episode, such as ammonia. If you have the job of cleaning your house, you should safer, natural products.
Vitamins E and C are beneficial to anyone with asthma. These vitamins aid in improving the function of the lungs and controlling the symptoms of asthma. You can take a supplement or consume these vitamins in food. The vitamins will help improve the immune system, which will help you fight off illnesses that cause asthma.
You may be unaware that certain medications you might be on could cause asthma symptoms. Aspirin along with other NSAIDs can have this effect. Some medications can cause your asthma to be worse such as beta blockers for high blood pressure or heart disease. Make sure you consult with your doctor concerning your asthma and possible drug reactions.
Keep your home dust-free and get rid of any carpet in your house to help prevent asthma attacks, especially in a bedroom. Keep food in a kitchen or on the dining room table, and avoid cigarette smoking inside. Try not to use bleach or other irritants inside, and always thoroughly change the air in your house after cleaning.
Leukotriene Inhibitor
If you or someone in your family has asthma, all family members need to get flu shots every year. Getting vaccinated yearly can help keep many of these illnesses at bay.
If you suffer from asthma, try seeing if a leukotriene inhibitor helps. A leukotriene inhibitor works by preventing leukotrienes. Leukotrienes are inflammation-causing chemicals that can bring on asthma attacks. Using an inhibitor will counteract the negative effects of leukotriene, thereby decreasing the occurrence of asthma attacks.
If you’re flying with asthma medications, be sure you get a prescription from your physician. Having written documentation supporting this medically necessary item will eliminate any hassles when going through the security check point.
If you have hay fever or a cold, you will probably need increased treatment of your asthma. Treatment may be increased in these cases as many illnesses have side effects that can cause flare ups in your asthma. Your family doctor may recommend adding another treatment or medication to your current regimen until you recover from your illness.
Monitor how often, each week, you need your rescue inhaler. If the inhaler is used more than twice, the asthma problems you are suffering from may not be well-managed or something else might be causing additional attacks to come on. The frequency of your inhaler use is a good way to remember to check out your environmental surroundings and be mindful of all factors relating to your asthma regimen.
If you suffer from asthma, you should refrain from sleeping on a pillow that contains feathers. Pillow feathers are known to worsen asthma and affect the lungs. Be sure to keep the same advice in mind for your bedclothes. They should be made from materials that do not increase allergy symptoms.
If you have asthma, clean your floors with a wet mop, instead of sweeping with a traditional broom. Sweeping sends dust and dander back into the air and could trigger an asthma attack. In the same vein, choose a damp rag as opposed to a feather duster when dusting, as this prevents dust from flying about.
There is good reason to make sure you have your rescue medicine for asthma in a convenient, easy to reach place. Traveling tends to put extra stain on the body, and you’re more susceptible to your asthma triggers under these conditions. You also have little control over your environment when traveling, which can make you more susceptible to an attack and symptoms of greater severity.
If you suffer from asthma, avoid being around smoke. Smoke is a major cause of asthma attacks. Keep away from chemical fumes, chemical vapor, and tobacco smoke as much as you can. These things can cause your asthma symptoms to greatly increase. If someone is smoking near you, either ask them to stop or remove yourself from the situation.
Don’t skip appointments for your checkups, even if you haven’t had any recent asthma attacks. Your doctor may be able to prescribe more effective treatments and you may be suffering symptoms you’re not aware are related to your asthma.
Your bed linen could be filled with dust, pollen or other allergens. You could reduce the potential impact of these asthma inducers by cleaning your sheets regularly. Having fresh bedding will let you breathe more easily and have a more restful night.
Most homes are full of common asthma triggers. These generally include dust, mold and spores. To keep these triggers out of your home, have a professional inspector come to your home each year to remove these nasties from your home. As an additional measure, a home that is regularly cleaned will help keep these irritants from building up.
You want to make certain you visit more than just one doctor. It’s true your primary doctor should be your main source for all your asthma help, but it may be wise to see one or two asthma specialists. Nutritionists, allergists, and pulmonologists are just some of the advisers who can change your life for the better.
If your home is damp, it can encourage the growth of mildew and mold. Protect yourself against allergens, dust mites and fungus to avoid exacerbating your asthma symptoms. You will benefit greatly from keeping the moisture out of your home’s air. A dehumidifier can be used in the winter, and in the summer, many air conditioner models also help strip moisture from the air.
If you have asthma and allergies, do not use a vaporizer or humidifier unless you make sure that it has been cleaned thoroughly. Bacteria will breed rapidly due to the moisture in the machine. If you continue to use one without cleaning it correctly, you will be pushing allergens around the home, instead of the soothing humidity that you are hoping for.
It’s important to keep up with your daily preventative inhaler routine, but watch out for mouth infections, especially in both teeth and gums. You can prevent this by brushing your teeth and gargling immediately following the use of your inhaler.
When you suffer from an asthma attack, be sure to remain calm. Wait half a minute and try the inhaler one more time. Should your asthma get even worse, seek medical attention immediately. Gesture to someone to call 911 if you can’t speak, or have them drive you to the nearest hospital. While heading to the hospital, breathe into a paper bag; it will slow your breathing rate and help reduce the attack.
Take note of how often, from a weekly standpoint, you use the rescue inhaler. If you use it very often, you may not have it under control. If you have to use your inhaler a lot, you will know that you should more closely monitor your surroundings.
If you’ve been diagnosed with asthma, it is crucial that you understand how to properly use your inhaler. You can’t just spray into your mouth and softly inhale. Every time you take a puff, hold in your breath for at least three seconds and then exhale. If you are having trouble using it correctly, ask your doctor for help at your next visit.
When preventing asthma, stay away from smoke. Smoking can actually trigger an asthma attack. Avoid any kind of chemical fumes, vapors, and tobacco smoke as much as you can. They can easily increase your asthma symptoms. If someone smokes around you, ask them politely if they could smoke when you are not around.
If you end up using your inhaler more than twice a week, then you need to consult a physician and change your medication. Increased reliance on your inhaler may be an indication that the medication is no longer working well enough. Another sign is needing refills 3 or more times per year on your rescue inhaler prescription.
Anyone with asthma should limit their exposure to household pets and other types of animals. While an allergy to animal hair or dander is a possible asthma complication, even those sufferers free of such allergies can experience an asthma attack caused by the dust and pollen all animals tend to carry along with them.
If you suffer from asthma, you should avoid being exposed to smoke in your home, car, or anywhere in your immediate area. Smokers should only smoke outside and away from the loved one who suffers from asthma. Smokers that have the scent on them can trigger asthma attacks.
Bed linens often collect asthma aggravators, such as pollen, dust and allergens. A weekly wash cycle using hot water can eliminate these potential triggers for asthma attacks. These fresh, regularly washed linens can help you breathe easier when sleeping.
Watch carefully for any signs of food allergies in your children. Some symptoms of food allergy can be extremely dangerous, and you should immediately get your child medical attention. These allergies are such as those that cause breathing difficulties, or those that cause noticeable swelling. If you suspect your child has a food allergy, have your child tested. Your child could develop asthma later in life after having these types of allergies.
You want to make certain you visit more than just one doctor. Your usual doctor will be able to help you, but you should also consider seeing a specialist. Some specialists to consider visiting are those who deal directly with allergies or nutrition. This is a great way to attack asthma from all angles.
Get yearly flu vaccinations. Even if you are not generally affected by the cold or flu seasons, it is still a good idea to get yourself vaccinated against them. A person who suffers from asthma is more likely to have greater problems due to the flu virus; infections such as sinus or respiratory are all made worse by the flu.
Eat more foods rich in vitamin B6. B6, another name for pyridoxine, has been proven to lessen the frequency and severity of attacks related to asthma. Pyridoxine produces molecules that facilitate the relaxation of bronchial tissues. People who need additional vitamin B6 should eat bananas.
If you are someone who suffers from asthma, you need to avoid doing exercise out in the dry, cold air. This is due to the cold weather making your airway cool and dry also, which could trigger an asthma attack. Because of this, it’s best only to exercise in a warm and humid area.
As previously stated, asthma is serious and can even threaten your life if it is ignored. You should protect yourself by always carrying an emergency inhaler, and watching out for excessive air pollution or allergens. To stay in charge of your own life and keep asthma from telling you what to do, manage your symptoms with the tips presented in this article.
If you have asthma, make sure that you do warm-ups before doing any strenuous exercise, and also cool down once you are finished. Doing so greatly reduces the chances of having an exercise-induced asthma attack.